


Perfect

by YearsAndDays



Series: Step Into Christmas [3]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Road Trip, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Music, Getting Together, Idiots in Love, M/M, Misunderstandings, Snow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-20 02:33:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17013927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YearsAndDays/pseuds/YearsAndDays
Summary: Simon is convinced that Raphael Santiago, Magnus friend who he has a major crush on, hates him. That turns out to not be the case.





	Perfect

**Author's Note:**

> Needs to be edited. Enjoy!

"Are we there yet?" Simon asked, leaning in-between the seats to get closer to the front.    
  
Jace, who was currently driving, turned his head and glared at him while Maia rolled her eyes fondly. "No, we're not and we are barely closer then when you asked five minutes ago."    
  
Simon smiled and got back to his seat while Jace looked like he thought back in vow the hell he got in this situation in the first place. The answer was Alec (but mostly Magnus). They had decided celebrating Christmas somewhere else than New York and the location they'd picked were across the country. Izzy and Clary had driven down a few days ago to prepare and now it was the leftovers turn. Jace, Simon, Maia, and Raphael.   
  
Somehow Magnus had managed to talk Raphael into going with them, saying how it would be better for the environment driving one car instead of two. Raphael growled at that, muttering in Spanish under his breath. But it had worked nonetheless.    
  
In the corner of his eye Simon looked at the other man, who was pointedly staring out the window, sulking. Simon held off a grin at the aspect of spending more than 6 hours with Raphael. For months, Simon had been harboring a crush on him and it was painfully obvious to everyone who knew Simon, except to Raphael it seems.   
  
He had always been Magnus' friend rather then theirs, but he had still spent time with their friend group. At first, Simon had been scared of him and his sharp, pale beauty, but it soon turned to something more at how he softly smiled at the others when he thought no one saw. And after he'd let out a startled laugh at one of Simon's bad jokes, he'd been sold.   
  
Simon knew there was no hope for him there, Raphael was way out of his league, but he could still make the best out of the situation.    
  
So when Maia had dozed off, Jace turned up the volume on some bad song it was time to bring out the earbuds like Raphael had done a while ago. Simon pretended to mess around in his bag for a while to make it believable, even if he know exactly were his pair is. He would never leave without them.   
  
He leans back, expression one of devastation, and says loudly. "Oh, man! I can't believe I forgot my earbuds on this long trip!" When Raphael doesn't move or even look at him, Simon adds on, even louder, "It's a shame no one is willing to share their music. Good music, Jace, so is yours!"   
  
For a moment, he thinks that his attempt might be hopeless, but then Raphael takes pity on him and without a glance in his direction, Raphael wordlessly hands him one of his own.   
  
Trying not to let his glee show too much, Simon takes it, scots closer and puts it in, letting the music swallow him whole. Through the rearview mirror Jace races a questioning brow but Simon simply ignores it. It doesn't take long until Simon's head unconsciously falls on Raphael's shoulder. At first, he goes rigid, tensing under the contact but slowly he relaxes, letting his own head lean against the younger man's.    
  
When Simon wakes up one hour later it's by Maia, shaking him awake. "You want something? Now's the time." She's right. They've stopped at a gas station and Jace has already left the car to do something. Quickly, Simon realizes that his head is resting on Raphael's shoulder and he scrambles away, accidently ripping the earbud out, a blush covering his cheeks. "Sorry," he mutters but Raphael just smirks.   
  
Simon quickly gets out the car, then immediately regrets it as its cold and he isn't wearing a jacket. He sees Maia in the gas station and makes his way inside and finally stops shivering.    
  
Maia looks over to him and smiles a smile that Simon knows will bring trouble. "Jace filled me in." Trying to look innocent, Simon picks up a bag of Maia's favorite candy, for good measure. "I don't know what you're talking about?" he says but it comes out to much like a question and Simon can tell she's not buying it.   
  
"You always bring your earbuds. No matter what."    
  
Simon stays silent for a moment, desperately trying to come up with a retort. In the end, he just mutters, "He has a good taste in music..."   
  
She sighs, discarding his reply. "Why don't you just tell him that you like him?"   
  
He gives her a look as if she's grown a second head. Maia sighs again. "What?"   
  
"Of course I can't, he will just dislike me even more!"   
  
Now it's Maia's turn to look at him weirdly. "Dislike you? You're one of the few he actually seems to enjoy spending time with. Do you think he'd let just anyone use him as a human pillow?"   
  
Simon doesn't know what to say to that. "But he's Raphael and I'm just... Me."   
  
"But you like him?" Maia continues on, eyes flickering to something behind him as her grin grows bigger.   
  
"Of course he does," comes a voice right behind him and Simon jumps, spinning around so fast that he almost knocks down the shelf with chips.   
  
He stutters something unhearable, making the other man chuckle, eyes glinting. "I understand, cariño. My music is better than yours." Then he's gone and Dimon starts to wonder just how long he's been standing there. Something tells him that he doesn't want the answer to that.   
  
Simon quickly turns back to Maia who is watching him with an amused look all while Simon is panicking. "What does that mean? Does he hate me now?"   
  
Maia just laughs. "I can definitely promise you he does not."   
  
Simon does not believe her.    
  
Back in the car, things are awkward and Simon pointedly refuses to look at both Raphael and the girl in the seat in front of him. Their part of the car becomes off limit for the remaining time and if Jace notices the silence, he doesn't say anything. Instead, the blonde does his best to ignore them, singing loudly along to the songs on the radio.   
  
In other words, it's awful and what makes it worse is that Simon can feel Raphael looking and he can't ignore it with music. Because reaching down for his own earbuds would be the last drop and admitting defeat.    
  
When they finally reach their destination, Clary greats them, fat snowflakes covering her vibrant red hair. She gives Jace a kiss, and then embracing him tightly. Then gives Simon a happy smile. "How was the ride?" And Simon practically falls into her arms. "Good, but mostly fucking awful."   
  
-   
  
After greeting everyone it's time to decide who is sleeping where. There are four bedrooms and they are eight people, so everyone is dividing into pairs which sounds good until he realizes that everyone here is in a relationship which means that he and a certain pale gorgeous guy are the leftovers.   
  
"Okay, so we already settled in," Magnus tells the group, his arm around his boyfriend's shoulders. "Izzy and Maia get the blue room, Biscuit and Trace-" "Jace" "Biscuit and TRACE" gets the other one upstairs which leaves Raphael and Sheldon who gets the room on this floor. Does that work for everyone?"   
  
Simon doesn't try to correct Magnus like Jace had, but speaks up anyway. "No, Raphael can take the room, I'll just sleep on the couch. Closer to the tv, anyway."   
  
"You sure, Shelwin?" Magnus asks, eyes flickering from him to Raphael. Simon just nods and the subject is dropped while he avoids to look at Raphael, who he can feel is staring. He tries to ignore it, and it works for the most part. 

They spend the rest of the night playing games and talking, and for the most part. “I’m getting some hot cocoa, anyone wants something?” Simon says, before making his way to the kitchen to make his drink. He doesn’t notice Raphael coming up behind him until it’s too late, jumping slightly as he speaks.   
  
"You actually think that I don't like you, cariño?"   
  
But Simon doesn’t have time to respond, because before he can even open his mouth, Raphael is leaning closer and suddenly they’re kissing. Taken aback, Simon is unresponsive, making the other the man growl, placing his hands behind Simon’s head, pulling him closer. Simon yelps in surprise but finally starts responding to Raphael’s advances, and the other man groans approvingly. 

Then just as sudden as he kissed him, Raphael is leaning away, smirking up at Simon’s startled expression. He pats Simon’s cheek lightly and then, just like that, he’s gone, leaving a clueless, out-of-breath Simon still leaning against the kitchen counter. 

Simon presses his fingers to his lips, and for a moment he believes that Raphael just might like him back. But as the smile is spreading across his face he notices the mistletoe right above his head, which explains it. Raphael kissed him because he had too, not because he actually likes him. Maybe he even pities him, liking someone who he never ever has a chance with. 

It’s like the air goes out of him as he walks back to the couch to join the other’s, completely forgetting about his hot cocoa.

-

It’s been a long day, filled with avoiding Raphael and Simon’s not moping. No, nope, not even close! The looks his friends keeps sending him says otherwise, but what do they know? 

He’s sitting curled up in the corner of the couch while the others are participating in a game of twister, not moping so much that he can’t even muster a smile when Clary falls on top of Alec, making him screech. 

Raphael is not participating either, sitting tensely on the other end of the couch, nursing a cup of spiced wine, looking like he’s deep in thought. WHen he catches Simon looking, and then just as quickly turning away his smile turns into a frown. “Simon, I-”

Simon is already on his feet, saying loudly. “I’m hungry!” Then he escapes into the kitchen before anyone has the time to react. Taking his glasses of and rubbing his eyes, Simon tries avoid to think about what happened in this very kitchen yesterday. He sighs and puts his glasses on, barely avoiding screaming as he sees Raphael standing a few feet away. “You gotta stop doing that, dude!”

Raphael just raises a brow. “”Dude”?”

When Simon doesn’t respond, Raphael takes a step closer to him, making Simon take one back and resulting in the other man frowning again. The younger man hurries to explain himself, “Sorry, but, but I can’t do this. You know I like you know so don’t hate me but I just can’t be close to you right know and I know you don’t like me so can we just leave this behind us and-”

“Dios!” Raphael exclaims, clearly frustrated.

Simon inhales, confused. “What-”

“Dios!” Raphael says again. “I  _ like _ you, Simon.” 

Simon blinks. “What? You do?”

“Yes, I like you,” he repeats, as if he’s half expecting Simon not to hear him. “Why else would I kiss you?”

Simon blushes, but still makes a guess. “Mistletoe? Pity?”

Sighing, Raphael gives him an annoyed look that quickly softens as he looks at Simon. “No. That’s a waste of time.” Then they’re kissing again and it’s perfect, even better than before.

Taking his hand Raphael leads them back to the others who have stopped playing and are now looking through some photo albums. Only Clary notices them when they join them, sending Simon a happy grin. Simon gives her thumbs up, making Raphael roll his eyes, sitting back down on the couch.  

For a moment, Simon is unsure where to sit, but Raphael just pats the space beside him, “Come here.” And Simon does. Settles in beside the other man, sides pressed together and his head against Raphael’s shoulder. Smiling, he kisses the top of Simon’s head before leaning down and kissing his mouth. 

From the other side of the room, Magnus hides a smile behind the back of his hand. “I take it that you’re sharing a room then?”   


Simon looks up at Raphael who flashes his teeth in a fond smile. “Of course.”

Among the cheers and “Congrats” from their friends, Jace mutters “Finally” and for a second Simon thinks he’s the only one who heard, but is quickly proven wrong when Raphael throws a gingerbread cookie his way. Hitting the blonde right between his eyes, making him yelp. “That’s for his bad taste in music,” Raphael explains, making Maia laugh loudly as she says, “Because yours is so much better, right Simon?” winking at Simon, who ducks his head into Raphael’s neck, muttering, “The best,” which makes Raphael chuckle. 


End file.
